“You leave me alone for weeks and my first day back I get to choose between love and unemployment?”
“You don’t have to leave immediately. You can work out your notice while you find a new job.” Cal took a deep breath. “Or you can stay here and I promise to leave you alone. I can’t break the rules, Josh.”
“Not even for us?” Josh asked bitterly.
“Especially not for us. CDR is worth more than just the two of us. It’s all these people here.” Cal tightened his hands. “We can make this work, Josh. I promise.”
“And what about you? I go and where will you be?”
“I’m staying right here with CDR. I’ve finished with Jesse and the agency.” Cal saw Josh’s skeptical look. “No, seriously. That was my last job with them. I can’t do that again. It guts me to know I wasn’t there for you.”
Josh knew at this moment he was standing on the edge of a cliff. He could follow his instincts and take that one final step into Cal’s arms. He’d be in free-fall. Out of a job, but with the man he loved. Or he could be in the job he loved, building a new team, and Cal would walk away. Josh stayed where he was, his hands in Cal’s, listening to his steady breaths. It was Josh’s move now.
He just had to take a step.
August 2017
The message popped up as soon as Josh logged on.
“Evening, my Angel.”
Josh chugged down half his coffee before typing a response.
“Morning, Charlie.”
“I’m waiting for the flight.”
It was dark-thirty, his favorite time of day. The office was empty aside from the minimal night staff. Josh was usually early, but today he needed to get his work done so he could leave to pick up Cal from the airport. He was getting the red-eye to join him in London for a few days.
Cal wouldn’t bend on changing the rules so Josh had walked away from the agency and his life in Seattle, such as it was. He didn’t walk straight into Cal’s life though. They’d been getting to know each other slowly—very slowly since they currently lived on opposite sides of an enormous ocean.
Jesse had offered him a job working for the agency. Apparently, Josh had the skills he needed. He had a feeling there was a certain degree of arm-wrestling on Jesse’s part to give him a job because they wanted Cal to return, but Josh slotted into Jesse’s agency like he’d worked there forever. Josh had also fallen into Jesse’s circle of friends, but he’d refused the offer of a puppy. One of their dogs had disgraced himself and seven Beagle puppies were the result. Josh laughed at their attempts to foist one on him, pointing out that he may look stupid, but the last thing he needed was a dog. Mr. Truffles, his cat, was not impressed every time one of their mutts invaded his space.
Josh typed out a quick response.
“Jesse’s cooking dinner.”
“You mean Dan’s cooking dinner and Jesse’s pretending he cooked it.”
In the six months he’d worked for Jesse, Josh hadn’t actually seen him cook a single meal. Dan assured him it happened but Josh doubted it.
“That’s it.”
“Save some for me.”
“Dan’s cooking his vegetarian chili. You’ll be lucky.”
“I’m always lucky. I have you.”
Josh rolled his eyes. He would never admit that he loved Cal’s sappiness, because Cal would be even more unbearable than he already was.
Back at CDR, Josh had left behind a certain amount of bewilderment. They all knew about the no fraternization rule, and he discovered Darryl had started a pool on whether Josh would follow his head or his heart. What confused them was why Josh had decided to put several thousand miles between them just as he’d obviously made the commitment to Cal. The only one who understood was Gil. He was still there but only just. Jesse had offered him a job and they were discussing terms. He was going to work undercover but Josh didn’t know any more than that. Jesse wouldn’t say and it wasn’t Josh’s business.
Unaware of Josh’s thoughts, Cal continued, “I need to talk to you when I land.”
Normally those words would strike fear into any sort of relationship. But for once it was Josh who had inside information. He knew what Cal planned to talk to him about. Knew Jesse wanted to draft Cal back to London. On a job that would keep them in the same city for the next few years. Dominic would continue to manage CDR, and Jesse’s team didn’t have that stupid rule.
What Josh didn’t know was Cal’s decision. That was something he couldn’t control and refused to worry about. They were getting on okay with the occasional visit but he couldn’t deny he was ready now to welcome Cal into his life on a more permanent basis.
“Should I be worried?” Josh asked lightly.
“Depends on how you feel about sharing a… Damn. that’s the final call for my flight. You are such a distraction, Angel. Gotta go.... boarding now. Call you when I land”
“Keep your hands off the flight attendants. Especially the ones with perky butts.”
“Yes, dear.”
Josh huffed as he signed off. In a few hours his Charlie would be here and they could talk. He blew the computer a kiss and went in search of coffee. It was going to be a long day.
The End
About the Author
Sue Brown is owned by her dogs and two teenagers. When she isn't following their orders, she can be found plotting at her laptop.
Sue discovered M/M romance at the time she woke up to find two men kissing on her favourite television series. The series is long gone but the kissing was tender and Sue had a lightbulb moment.
Since then she has written many stories hoping to recreate that tender moment she saw on screen. Sue has high hopes that one day she will provide a lightbulb moment for someone else.
Come over and talk to Sue at:
Her website: http://www.suebrownstories.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/suebrownstories
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/suebrownstories
Email: sue@suebrownstories.com
Available from Dreamspinner Press:
Nothing Ever Happens (also in audio and translations)
Final Admission
The Layered Mask
Waiting
Made for Aaron in Gothika #1
Falling for Ramos
The Next Call
Stolen Dreams
Chance to be King
The Night Porter Series
The Night Porter
Light of Day
Morning Report Series
Morning Report
Complete Faith
Papa’s Boy
Luke’s Present
Letters From a Cowboy
Isle Series
The Isle of… Where?
Isle of Wishes
Isle of Waves
Isle of Waiting (in Grand Adventures)
Island Doctor
Island Counselor
Available from Totally Bound:
Tumbling Blindly (The Arches #1)
Holding Together (The Arches #2)
Turning Over (The Arches #3)
Available from Smashwords:
Ducks in a Row (in Turning the Page)
A Tale Told in Darkness (A Tale Told in Darkness #1)
Close Your Eyes (in Valentine Delights)
Louis Hates Valentine’s Day
Racing Raindrops
Mr Plum
Summer's Dawn
Summer’s Song
A Cock in the Window
Morning My Angel
Alpha Barman (coming November 2016)
Lyon Road Vets
Hairy Harry's Car Seat
Bob, Destroyer of Leads
Hazel Takes Over
Stormin’ Norman
Wolves of Sapphire Ranch
The Last Wolf
The Hidden Wolf
The Rogue Wolf
With A Kick (with Clare London)
Hissed as a Newt
Bells and
Balls
Left at the Crossroads (with Lisa Worrall)
In-Decision
The Fitzwarren Inheritance (with RJ Scott and Chris Quinton)
The Lord’s Tale